


Sunshine

by Loremaster64



Series: Sunshine [1]
Category: Asgardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Brotherhood, Brotps, F/F, F/M, Ficwars2019, M/M, Marvel - Freeform, My fanfic, Thor and Loki - Freeform, asgardians of the galaxy - Freeform, gotg - Freeform, marvel fanfic, my writings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22177717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loremaster64/pseuds/Loremaster64
Summary: As another battle rages, Loki must do something he is unprepared for
Relationships: Loki & Guardians of the Galaxy Team, Loki & Thor (Marvel), Thor & Guardians Of The Galaxy Team
Series: Sunshine [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1596406
Kudos: 24





	1. ACT 1: OF DESPERATION

**Author's Note:**

> As part of my weekly prompt for FICWARS. The prompt is: Hero needs help from Villain

“You must be truly desperate to come to me for help.” The words echoed in his head, a memory, distant and albeit forgotten.

In truth, that had happened so many years ago, hardly anyone would remember it. Not even Thor. And yet, here he was again, saying the same thing, but it was a different Loki and a much different person he spoke to.

For much had happened. He had died, twice, once in Svartalfheim, and once at the hands of Thanos.

But he had reconnected with Thor and had lived a happy life for at least a time. For a few moments. Before Thanos came and ripped it apart. Before he sacrificed himself so Thor would live. 

And now, here was Brunhilde, riding into Valhalla on her winged horse, holding out a hand.

And he repeated his words, but to her.

She smiled. “Well, guess we are.” She handed Loki his daggers.

He held them in his hands and smiled. “Very well then, lead the way.”

She nodded and turned around.

“One thing,” he said, making her look back. “Thor. Is he–?”

“He’s alive. He let himself go, but he’s alive.”

Loki bowed his head ever so slightly in thanks.

As she led the army of fallen Asgardian warriors out of Valhalla, Loki blended in the background, morphing into just another soldier. He would surprise Thor. Maybe by stabbing him in the back again.

And he stepped onto a broken field of Midgard, a hundred portals opened with thousands streaming out. And at the center was Thanos. A somehow different version. He seemed more the Thanos of the one he saw before New York, not his death.

Steve Rogers, that patriotically positive Midgardian, was there leading all the armies, Mjolnir in his hands. Well, he was filled with righteousness, so perhaps he was worthy. 

And there was Thor, eyes full of lightning and rage. He wore a heavy cloak of anger and pain, and also he was…quite large now. Guess he was finally becoming his grandfather. How long had passed?

Then a battle commenced. A battle of the ages. All of good versus all of bad. And the man of iron, who had smiled at his joke in New York, who was just a man, had taken on the stones and snapped his fingers, turning Thanos and his army into dust.

And so the battle was won. Without Loki having to really do anything. How very different than usual. Things really had changed in the short time he had been gone.

Loki saw his brother crying over his fallen friend, and knew now was not a good time to surprise him. He would wait. He was a patient man.

And so he vanished into thin air and followed his brother. He was by his side as they held a memorial for the iron man, floating a memento on flowers on the water. He was by him as Thor went to New Asgard, the place where their father had told them to make a home. Where he told Brunhilde that she was queen now.

“For the first time in a thousand years, I…I have no path,” he said, as the sun shone on him. As Loki had promised.

And Loki followed his brother as he stepped on a ship, with many strange and odd creatures, and one rather plain looking Midgardian. Certainly no Matt Damon.

Loki watched Thor smile and laugh at others before sitting in a corner, all laughter draining from his eyes. Loki knelt in front of him and placed a hand on his knee.

“It looks like you need my help again,” he thought. “But don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”


	2. Act 2:Of Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple search party turns into a wild surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As part of my weekly prompt for FICWARS. The prompt is: “What does that say about me?” “That you’re an idiot.”

“So what are we looking for?” Thor asked one day.

In truth, it had been quite a few since they had started this expedition, although not much had transpired or changed. Until today. Today they were nearing the supposed last location where someone had seen one of their crew members, apparently a green-skinned, woman quite strong and proud looking.

But they were on an outlaw planet. And none of them were outlaws.

“We think she was last here,” the raccoon said, pointing to a place on the map on a screen. “And maybe she’s still here or someone saw her so we can find her.”

“Well, how are we going to blend into a place like this?”

“I mean I can blend right in as I’m an outlaw already,” the man named Quill replied.

Thor scoffed and everyone else laughed at him. 

“Well then what do you suggest?” Quill asked.

“We could kill everyone,” the one named Drax said.

“Or we could not do that,” the raccoon said.

“What we need is a way to disguise ourselves. It’s times like this I could use my brother’s help,” Thor looked wistfully away.

“You mean the dead one?” Rocket said.

Thor shot him a cold look.

Loki smiled. He had been watching all of this transpire from the back of the room. And they had just given him a perfect opportunity to reveal himself. He stepped up to his brother. He opened his mouth to speak.

“I am Groot,” the one named…Groot spoke instead.

“Yeah, yeah,” the raccoon replied. “Since we don’t have your brother here, any other suggestions?”

Loki stepped closer. He started to clear his throat.

“I can try to make some of them sleep to create a distraction and then everyone can look around,” a girl with antennae interrupted.

“Smart,” Drax said.

Maybe he’d just stab his brother to surprise him, since no one would stop talking.

“Alright, Drax, Mantis, go and distract some people, we’ll try and figure out how to sneak in this outlaw, without your brother, who is sadly dead.”

“I might not be as dead as you think,” Loki nearly yelled, letting his disguise fall.

Everyone jumped. Quill let out a girlish shriek as the raccoon pulled out a large blaster of some sort. Only Thor stood there, a mix of confusion and anger on his face.

“This is some kind of joke? I must be seeing things.”

“Well if you’re seeing things we all are because pretty sure Quill didn’t shriek at nothin’.”

Thor kept his eyes solely fixed on Loki as if he looked away, he might vanish again. He shook his head. When Loki stayed in view, he whispered, “Loki?”

“Surprise!”

Thor’s axe, Stormbreaker he had heard him call it, shot towards his hand. He stepped towards his brother. “You were dead. Or was that just another one of your tricks?”

“I really was dead, brother,” Loki replied, losing some of his smile. “But Valkyrie saved me when she brought everyone else out.”

“Then why didn’t I see you?”

“I was disguised as a soldier. And I was going to surprise you but then your friend died and I thought better of it.”

“So you thought better to wait? Until now?”

“Well, seeing as how you need someone cunning like myself…yes.”

Thor kept staring at Loki but didn’t respond.

“Okay,” the raccoon said finally, “I’m gonna take Groot and go down there and see if there’s anything worthwhile. You guys stay here and stare at each other.” With that he and the tree walked away, and so did Drax and the lady with antennas. Starlord stood there for a minute and then mumbled something about checking the ship and left too.

Thor still stared at him.

“Are you just gonna keep staring like an idiot?” Loki smiled.

“You’re really here? Alive?”

“Yes. you can throw something at me to prove it.”

Thor picked up something small and rectangular and threw it at him. It bounced off his head and clattered to the ground.

“Ow,” Loki muttered, only half surprised Thor had taken him at his word.

Then Thor wrapped his arms around him. Loki was encapsulated in the largeness of his brother, like hugging a very large mostly hairless bear. And Loki hugged him back, a smile dancing on his face. The last time they had hugged had been on another ship before everything was ruined. And now, two different people were hugging, yet they were the same at heart. They were brothers, and that was all that mattered. Thor pulled away, his hand gripping the back of Loki’s neck.

“I can’t believe you’re alive.”

“Well, I am the Trickster after all.”

“But why did you let Thanos kill you? You were much smarter than pulling your knife, I thought.” Thor sat down on a bench.

Loki sat beside him. “Well, I know Thanos to be true to his word. He always divides in half. And I just wanted to ensure that he would kill me and spare you.”

“So you sacrificed yourself for me.”

“I’ve been known to do it in the past,” he smiled.

“And to think I said you were the worst brother.”

“I did bring the Tesseract with me.”

“Why did you do that?”

“I couldn’t pass something like that up. I am sorry.”

“It’s in the past now,” Thor smiled, one that finally reached his eyes.

“So tell me, how did this happen?” Loki teasingly patted Thor’s stomach.

“I let myself go after killing Thanos and everyone being dead. And five years had passed.”

“Five?” Five years had passed? Thor had been alone for all that time? This was gonna be harder than he thought.

Thor nodded. “You miss a lot being dead.”

“You miss a lot drinking all the ale in father’s storehouse.” he grinned.

Thor laughed.

“So what did I miss?” Loki said.

“Well we have a new home for our people, and I killed Thanos.”

“I thought your friend did?”

“That was a past version. See we went through time to gather the stones to fix everything.”

Loki nodded. “Very wise.”

Thor paused. “I saw mother again. When I went to Asgard to retrieve the aether from Jane.”

Loki’s smile fell. “How was she?”

“She was happy. And full of wisdom as always.”

“Did she speak of me?”

“Not really, but you know she loved you.”

“The last thing I said to her was that she wasn’t my mother.”

“And the last thing I said to you was that you were the worst brother. I believe saying things we don’t mean runs in the family. But we don’t take those words to heart. Right?” he asked, hope mingling in his voice.

Loki nodded and smiled. “Right. I’m glad you got to see her. I do miss her.”

“So do I. Still, I think she would be proud of us.”

“I hope so.”

“I’m glad you’re back, brother,” he patted him on the back, smiling.

“So am I. And I’m not leaving anytime soon.”

“When you told me that the sun would rise on us again, I didn’t know what you meant by that.”

“I just meant that all would be alright and not to lose hope.”

“So you were planning on sacrificing yourself for me then?”

Loki nodded. “For a moment, after the Hulk charged Thanos, I disappeared and was going to leave. I thought Heimdall would send you away and it would be alright. But then I realized you were probably too weak to travel through the Bifrost. So I came back.”

“You returned on the chance that I might not be safe? Even though you would probably be killed.”

“Well, I couldn’t leave the only family I have left. What does that say about me?”

“That you’re an idiot,” Thor smiled, gripping the back of his neck again.

“Hey!” Quill said, picking up the pieces that had been thrown at Loki, “who threw my Zune?”


	3. Act 3: Of Unusual Circumstances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Jotun, Midgardian, and Asgardian walk into the cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As part of my weekly prompt for FICWARS. The prompt is: cuddling to exchange body heat

It had been two weeks since Loki had revealed himself, and things had settled into a calmer, more familiar state. Thor had been exercising a little, the crew was getting used to Loki’s presence, and still, Gamora was nowhere to be found. 

They were tracking her to a distant and cold planet, far outside the reaches of anywhere they had been before. And no one was sure whether they wanted to travel there.

“It’s cold, it’s barren, there’s a huge chance we’ll get lost,” Rocket said, matter-of-factly.

“Well some of us will stay with the ship to track us and only a few of us should actually go,” Quill said.

“Okay, who do you think should go?”

“Well, me obviously, because it’s Gamora. Does anyone else want to go?”

Up until this point, Thor and Loki were sitting in a corner bench, Loki on the floor by his brother’s feet. 

Thor stood. “I’m in.” He nudged Loki’s shoulder. Loki nodded once. “And my brother will be joining as well.”

“Well, that sounds like more than enough morons to go out so, the rest of us will stay here.”

“Okay then, we’ll see you in a few,” Quill said, grabbing a blaster and walking to the doors.

The Odinsons followed quickly behind. 

The doors opened and a blast of wind hit Loki in the face. He blinked back the cold and walked out. He was born for the barren and the cold, the desolate and lonely. In fact, if he was alone he would have let his true self, his Jotun self, show forth. But he didn’t want to remind Thor of their differences right now. So he followed silently, beside his brother, Quill taking the lead, continually glancing down at some sort of scanner he held in front of him.

“How did you get your knives back?” Thor broke the silence.

“Brunhilde gave them to me when she went and found me and the other soldiers.”

“So you were in Valhalla,” Thor smiled.

Loki did not. He glanced down. 

“Oh,” Thor replied. “But why–”

“I did not die with my weapon in my hands. I tried to but Thanos had other ideas.”

“I am sorry, Loki.”

“It is alright. I had much to atone for.”

“I’m glad you’re back now. Next time you will go to Valhalla.”

“Next time,” Loki teased.

“Hey, I think I got something,” Quill said, looking to the west. “Over in that direction.”

Thor walked over and looked over his shoulder. “In that mountain?”

“I think so, yeah.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” He started walking. Loki quickly followed behind.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the base of the mountain. 

“Do you see a way in?” Thor asked Loki.

He pointed up. “If we reach that point, I believe there is a way inside.”

“Okay.” Quill nodded. 

“But wait, before we go scaling mountains, maybe I should ask what exactly it is we are doing?”

“Trying to find Gamora.”

“And you honestly think she’s in a mountain?”

“Look, I’ve been tracking her this far, and the scanner detects something resembling her signature in the mountain, so yeah I do.”

“But every time we near her supposedly, she is gone. Perhaps you need to check your equipment.”

“Loki is right,” Thor said. “We do keep losing her.”

“Well unless we check every possible trail then we won’t know, will we? She might not be in there, but what if she is? What if-what if she needs help.”

Thor and Loki glanced at each other, both recalling times when they had done extraordinary things for the people they love. Thor for Jane and Loki for the only person that mattered anymore, Thor.

They nodded at one another. 

“Well lead the way,” Thor said.

The three began their long trek up and around the mountain. There was a small path in the face of the mountain, a path that slowly circled to the top. Quill led them up the path, around and around they went, Loki being the only one who could keep up. Thor was out of breath, panting and holding his side, and Quill, no matter how hard he tried to stay in the front, kept falling behind.

Finally, they reached the top. Thor and Quill both held their knees, bending over and gasping for breath. Loki looked through the small opening. 

“We need to enter here,” he said. “But the opening needs to be bigger.”

“Lave it to me,” Thor said, pushing past him. He raised Stormbreaker to the sky. Clouds began to roll across the sky, darkening the world. Thunder sounded. A shot of lightning streaked through the sky, gathering into Stormbreaker. Thor pounded the axe into the side of the mountain. 

The world shook for a moment, ice and snow blasting away, creating an opening.

But the world was still shaking. And a sound, like the roar of a thousand waterfalls, sounded closer and closer. 

“Thor!” Loki shouted, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the cave. Quill jumped after them seconds later. 

The world crashed behind them, sheets of snow filling up where they had been moments ago. A wall of silence echoed around them.

Loki sat up, his hand still on Thor’s back, half his body shielding his. They were in a small cave, not very large, but it seemed to be much deeper than expected. 

“Good job on that,” Quill said. “If I wanted to start an avalanche I’d just start singing ‘The Chain’.”

“I didn’t intend–” he groaned. Loki helped him to his feet. “I can fix it.”

“And cause another avalanche?”

“Maybe we should just search the area, and then figure out how to leave,” Loki interjected.

Thor nodded. It took Quill a minute, but eventually, he relented and nodded as well.

“Is the tracker still picking something up?”

Quill pulled it out of his back pocket. It fizzled, sparks flying. “Piece of–” he threw the tracker t the ground. “It must have broke when I fell in here, from the avalanche.”

“Well then, we’ll just get out.”

“It’s getting late, brother. We don’t want to be walking in the dark in unknown territory. Let’s look around and stay here for the night.”

“Alright,” Thor said.

They began to search the area. Crystals hung from the ceilings like glittering diamonds, suspended above. But apart from the snow and the cold, they found nothing of any importance. Loki glanced at the walls. 

“There’s an etching here,” he said. “It seems to written in Zen-Whoberian.”

Quill walked over. He felt the etching. “Gamora,” he whispered. He turned around. “Gamora was here.”

“Oh, excellent,” Thor said.

“But she’s not here now.”

“But this is the closest we’ve gotten in a while.”

“But she’s still long gone by now, probably on a distant planet. And there’s no way to know because we’re probably stuck in here forever.”

“We’re not.”

“We are though.”

“Please let’s not argue. We found a clue, let’s try to get some sleep and began our search anew tomorrow. She can’t have gotten that far.”

“Fine,”

“Fine!” Thor said even louder.

Quill sat on the ground and tried laying down, rolling up into a ball. The room was not that large, certainly not big enough for all three to sleep separately. 

It wasn’t long before Quill started shivering. Loki and Thor were sitting together across from him.

“He might die,” Loki remarked.

“I might finally be captain,” Thor replied.

Loki shrugged. “As much as I am unbothered by the idea of letting a Midgardian freeze to death, I’m not sure the others will be accepting of that.”

“The rabbit might.”

Loki blinked. “You and Asgardians. It’s a raccoon brother.”

“That’s not what class taught me.”

“Then class didn’t teach you much,” he teased.

Thor rolled his eyes. “What do you suggest?”

“Midgardians say body heat is extremely helpful in these situations.”

Thor nodded. “Alright.” he walked over to Quill. “How do we–”

“One on either side?”

“No, I don’t want him anywhere near me.”

“Then I suppose I’ll go in the middle.”

“Okay.”

Loki laid on the ground, trying not to nestle too close to Quill, while still trying to give some of whatever warmth he might have. Thor laid beside Loki; he paused a moment before wrapping his arm around his brother. At least he provided enough warmth to melt the ice. Quill would be alright. 

“Goodnight brother,” Thor whispered, so low, Loki half thought he had imagined it.

He smiled to himself. “And to you,” he breathed, before falling into a deep, quiet slumber, held fast by his brother, protected by the one he loved.


	4. ACT 4: OF INTERLUDES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I decided to write a brief interlude as this chapter to break up all the action that’s been going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As part of my weekly prompt for FICWARS. The prompt is: “I don’t deserve this” “except you do”

The trio was back on the ship, new information in tow. Quill manned the helm, while Loki sat in a corner of the room. 

Thor walked up to him, two glasses of what he assumed were some form of alcohol, in his hands. He handed one to Loki. Loki took it with a smile of appreciation.

Thor sat next to him with a lumbering sigh. “It’s been a rather long day.”

“More like a very long week.”

“At least we are back on the ship, and we have new information about Gamora. So a win!” Thor grinned, before taking two large gulps of his drink.

Loki sipped it. It was nothing like the Asgardian mead he was used to, but then again, nothing was like Asgard. Not anymore.

“Do you ever miss it?” he asked.

“Miss what?”

“Asgard.”

Thor paused, his brow furrowed. “I used to. I used to a lot. But Asgard is a people, not a place, and our people are safe now.”

“But our memories are not. Asgard was the only place I was…content.”

“Really? Even after being locked up? After…after mother?” he finished in a quiet voice.

Loki glanced at his brother and nodded. “Even then, it was where she taught me my powers, where she read to me, where you and I played. There might be terrible memories there, but there were also good ones. Possibly the only good ones I’ve had.”

Thir patted Loki on the back. He rested his hand, grasping his neck, as he had always done. It was his brother’s way of showing understanding. Of showing love. 

Loki smiled lightly. He watched the others carry about their lives. Nebula was teaching some form of flicking a piece of metal to Mantis, while Groot watched Rocket building yet another mechanical contraption. 

Drax ate Zargnuts against a wall as if he were invisible. And Quill steered the ship through the outer reaches of space, searching for the woman he loved, humming along to music blasting from all corners of the ship.

It was a family. A home. One Loki had not known in many years, one Loki had maybe never known. 

The first time his father had said he loved him was right before his death. The first time Thor said Loki deserved the throne was when he thought he was speaking to Odin. his mother loved him, this he knew, and yet his final words to her still would haunt him the rest of his life. Not to mention that he had a sister he never got to talk to, to understand. What if she was just as lonely, just as much of an outcast as him?

And would Midgard ever understand that what he did to them wasn’t his fault? That he had been tortured and manipulated? Or would it be just another place that hated without ever trying to understand?

Yet. and yet, through it all, all the pain, and death, and suffering, he had found himself back with his brother, back with a family, a home. A place of only understanding and acceptance, a place that didn’t know who he was and what he had done, so that he could be someone new, someone, that more resembled what he always wanted to be: himself.

“I don’t deserve it,” he sighed.

“Deserve what?” Thor asked.

Loki stared into his cup. “This. a home. A place with you. I deserve to be dead in Hel still, fighting for all eternity. I deserve the honeyed words of poison by Thanos.”

“Loki you have made mistakes, some were not your own, I know that now. But we’ve all made mistakes. Mother told me that we all fail at who we’re supposed to be, it’s the measure of a hero that succeeds in being who they are. You were supposed to a king, a tyrant maybe. A villain. But you failed. You are a hero, a savior,” he nudged him in a winking tone. “You are a good person. And I’m sorry that no one has seen that.”

“But I don’t deserve to be. I don’t deserve it.”

“Except you do.” Thor smiled, a smile of finality. “You deserve everything good. We both do. Now we just have to try to earn it.”

Loki nodded finally, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He wanted to say thank you, wanted to say he loved him, but he didn’t think he needed to. Thor already knew it. So instead he raised his glass and clinked it with Thor’s. They both sipped long and slow.

In the background, a man was singing, singing that it wasn’t time to change, but to take it easy. That yes, he might be young, he still had time to learn and so he’d be okay. 

Loki smiled at the poignantly prophetic words of the unknown Midgardian and continued to watch the crew, working and playing, laughing and hiding, as he sat by the only person who he needed to understand him and accept, the one person he realized always had.


	5. ACT 5: OF SURPRISE CHANGES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki journeys to a familiar land to find a lost friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As part of my weekly prompt for FICWARS. The prompt is: wearing the others’ clothes

“So where are we headed now?” Loki asked Quill as he was looking at a screen where several points were highlighted on a map.

“From the message Gamora left, we think she’s somewhere in this region.” He pointed to a spot on the screen.

“That’s near Sakaar,” Loki remarked.

“Yeah, you know that place?”

Loki recalled when he had to gain favor with the Grandmaster, when he found Thor again when they had fought as they always had. And of course when he saw that the Grandmaster’s champion was none other than the Hulk.

He shrugged. “You could say I do.”

“Where to?” Thor said, yawning, as he walked up to Loki. 

“Sakaar,” Loki replied. 

“Would we even be allowed back there?”

“Most likely not.”

Quill stared at them. “Wait what did you do?”

The Odinsons glanced at one another. Thor shrugged and stayed quiet. 

“Okay, well I guess you’ll stay on the ship,” Quill said.

“It’s an outlaw planet,” Loki remarked. “It is quite dangerous. I think the only one that could blend in would be me.”

“Loki the Grandmaster will kill you. You said so yourself.”

“Then I won’t let him find me.”

Thor shook his head. 

Loki directed his attention to Quill again. “If you want me to try and find Gamora and bring her back, I am your safest bet to ensure that.”

Quill paused then nodded. Thor scoffed and walked off. 

“We’ll be landing soon,” Rocket said. 

Loki nodded. He walked over to his brother, drinking yet another beer. “It’ll be alright,” he said.

“That’s what you said before. You know before you died.”

“Thor you know what powers I possess. I can go in and out without being seen.”

“Then why don’t I trust you?”

Loki pursed his lips. He sat down beside his brother, folded his hands and leaned forward. Finally, he said, “I need to do something. Something…good. I can do this.”

Thor glanced at him. “I will not lose you again.”

“You won’t.”

Thor sighed. “Then go. Just come back alright?”

Loki smiled. “Of course. I assure you brother, I will return.”

“We’re here!” Nebula interrupted. 

Loki stood and went to the entrance of the ship. Nebula walked over to him. 

“If you see her give her this,” she handed her a small ruby-encrusted dagger. “She’ll believe what you are saying then.”

Loki nodded. 

“Good luck. We’ll check here every hour.” Quill patted him on the back. 

The door opened. They were hovering above multiple piles of trash, some blowing in the gusts created by the ship. Loki stepped forward. 

“Loki wait!” Thor said. 

Loki turned around. Thor handed him a green blanket. “It was a good disguise for me. I think it will help you too.”

Loki smiled. “Green is my color.” He wrapped the blanket aro8und his shoulder. “Thank you.”

Thor nodded. “Be safe.” 

“Of course.” with that, Loki jumped down onto the land of Sakaar. He watched as the ship pulled away. Loki tightened the shawl around him, beginning his trek towards the city. 

It was a long time before he finally found his way onto the outskirts of the building that the Grandmaster owned. He walked through the doors, greeted by several creatures of different shape and size and nationality, all talking and partying. He moved towards the bar. 

“Some mead please,” he requested. The bartender, a large fellow with the trunk like that of an elephant, bellowed and walked off. 

Loki scanned the room for any sign of the girl. The bartender returned and set the cup before him. Loki paid. Then pushed a few extra coins his way. 

“I’m looking for a friend of mine, maybe you’ve heard of her? She goes by the name of Gamora.”

The bartender thought for a moment, then glanced off to the side and shrugged, walking away. Strange. Loki sighed and took a sip of his drink. 

“Why are you looking for me?” someone said beside him. 

Loki looked over to see…Gamora sitting at the bar, a knife in one hand, a glass ion the other.

“Your friends are looking for you.”

“Why?”

“Because they care about you. They’ve been looking for you for a while,”

“How can I believe you?”

Loki pulled out the dagger and set it in front of her. “Nebula said you would recognize it.”

A look of familiarity flashed in Gamora’s eyes. “Nebula’s alive?”

“Yes. They all are.”

“I don’t know them. I’m a different version of Gamora, but they’re all the same. It’s too strange.”

“I understand. Possibly more than anyone else. I’ve died a few times, come back to see that everything changed. It is difficult to acclimate oneself, especially when they all think you should understand.”

Gamora looked at Loki. then turned away.

“I’m not the Gamora they want. They want the other one, the good one that’s dead now.”

“So did my brother. Or so I thought. Turns out he just wanted his brother back, regardless of who I was or what I had done. I thought I had to be good to be loved by him, but I was wrong. I just had to be me. I think that your family cares for you and wishes you back, regardless. Because you’re still Gmaora. And I’m still Loki.” Loki looked down, his words seeming to be almost revelatory to him, even though he had thought it before. He had never said it though, and things said aloud are easier to be believed. 

Gamora sat in silence for a long time, they both did. And finally, she nodded. 

“I will go with you. To see if you are right.”

Loki smiled. “Then follow me.”

The unlikely pair walked pout of the building and walked back to where the ship was before. Thye waited for what seemed eons until finally the ship appeared in sight and hovered above them. The door swooshed open and a rope was dropped down. 

“I’ll be right behind you,” Loki said. 

Gmaora nodded. She grabbed the rope and started scaling it. Loki followed quickly behind. Soon, they had pulled themselves up. Gamora stood there, everyone staring at her, their mouths gaping. 

“Gamora? We found you,” Quill said, walking closer. He raised his hands. “Don’t worry, I won’t try to kiss you this time.”

“I am Groot,” Groot said, a grin on his face. 

“We missed you, green killer,” Drax said with a laugh. 

“We all did,” Quill said. 

Nebula walked over to her. She looked at her for a long moment, before embracing her in a hug. “Welcome back, sister,” she said.

Ganora paused. Then hugged her back. She pulled away. 

“I suppose I could stay here for a little bit. Until I find somewhere else,” she relented. 

Quill nodded. The door to the ship closed and the ship pulled away. 

The entire time Loki was standing in a corner watching the reunion. 

“I’m glad you’re back, Loki,” Thor said. 

Loki smiled. 

“Good job on finding her.”

“Thank you. I do believe this gave me the confidence to do so,” he teased, pilling at his blanket. 

Thor laughed and grabbed the back of Loki’s neck. “Well keep it then. Green does suit you anyway.”


	6. ACT 6: OF FINALITY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That’s all folks! This is the last chapter of the series and I’m so thankful you all have been reading it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As part of my weekly prompt for FICWARS. The prompt is: “You’re not serious”

Loki awoke later than usual that morning, the flicker of a dream still lingering at the front of his mind. He had dreamt of his mother, seeing her again and telling her how sorry he was for what he said. And she forgave him, of course she did. She always would. And even though she was gone, he knew that she had. 

So it was, that Loki, happier than usual, walked out to where the crew all sat around, eating. He sat in the empty place beside Thor. Thor smiled and pushed a plate of food in front of him. 

It had been a week since Loki had found the missing member of the guardians. Gamora had elected, even though they had docked at Xandar, still destroyed by Thanos but rebuilding, for resupplying a few days ago. 

So, it seemed, that the group had found each other again and were becoming whole once more. And, so too, Loki felt like him and Thor had become part of the family. Had become a family again. 

“So what do we wanna do next?” Quill asked, grinning at Gamora. “Something bad? Something good? Bit of both?”

Gamora shrugged “You’re the captain.”

Quill’s smile grew even wider. “Bit of both.”

“Alright, enough yapping. Let’s go,” Rocket said, getting up. 

The table dispersed fairly quickly, each going to a place not so much as assigned to them but as they intuitively knew they belonged to. Loki and Thor were all that were left at the table, each belonging to the other. 

“Loki,” Thor cleared his throat. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Yes, brother?”

Thor paused. Then he walked over to a window. “Come here.”

Loki moved silently beside him. 

“Look out there.” Thor pointed outside. 

Loki watched the vastness of space, galaxies shimmering in the dark highlighting how alive space was. How empty and full of wonders. 

“Space,” Loki said matter-of-factly. 

“Freedom,” Thor added. “We can go anywhere. Anywhere we want.“ 

Loki stared at Thor. "What are you saying?" 

"I’m saying we should go explore it. Just the two of us." 

"You’re not serious?” Loki’s brow furrowed. 

“We can fight side by side for all eternity like I told you. Isn’t that what we’ve always wanted? Isn’t that what you want?”

“Well, of course, but…Thor, you’re suggesting just setting off into the vastness of space, just the two of us?" 

Thor nodded. "What’s the worst that could happen?”

“We die. Horribly.”

“Eh, we’ve survived worse.” Thor winked, clapping his brother on the back. “Come on. What do you say?”

Loki smiled. He nodded once. 

Thor laughed. “Excellent. Let’s get ready then.”

“Wait we’re leaving right now?”

“Why not?” Thor walked away.

Loki shook his head, chuckling, low. He moved back to his room, grabbing what little supplies he had and placing them in his pockets. He took the green cloak given by Thor, placed it around his shoulders and stepped back out. 

“Thor told me you were leaving,” Rocket said, leaning against a wall, his arms crossed. 

Loki nodded. “When Thor makes a decision, he likes to follow it quickly.”

“Yeah, well lately that’s just how many beers to drink,” he muttered. 

“So, like before, Thor will be taking the other ship,” Quill said, walking out with Thor beside him, a look of happiness barely contained on his face. “Nebula is loading it with some supplies now." 

Thor grinned at his brother. It was time. 

"Thank you,” Loki said, extending his hand to Quill. “I hope our paths cross again." 

Quill shook his hand briskly before letting go. "I’m sure." 

Gamora gave a thankful, knowing nod Loki’s way, as Rocket saluted once at him. 

"I am Groot,” Groot said with a smile. 

“Farewell," Nebula said. 

"I bid you farewell and safe journeys, morons. We will meet again soon enough.” Thor grinned before walking into the ship. 

Loki followed him after a moment. The Odinsons looked towards the crew, the odd and unique family, as their ship pulled away and they sailed into the depths of space. 

“Where to, brother?” Loki asked. 

“First stop…anywhere.” he smiled. “Next stop…New Asgard. It’s time to reunite with our people." 

Loki smiled back. He sat beside Thor at the ship’s console. "Do you think they will accept me?”

“They accepted me. And all I did was play Fortnite and drink beer.”

“What’s Fortnite?” Loki tilted his head to the side. 

“Oh it’s very fun. You will like it.” Thor laughed. 

Loki looked back towards the Benatar. “We will see them again won’t we?”

“Of course. We have to return this ship to them. Besides I’m sure I’ll miss Quail eventually,” he finished in a mumble. 

Loki scoffed at his brother’s only mild dislike of the Benatar’s captain. 

“Are you ready, Loki?” Thor asked. 

“Whenever you are,” Loki smiled back. 

Thor gripped the wheel and pulled back. The two hurtled through space, traveling at an insane speed, as the galaxies blended together into a kaleidoscope of color. 

And then they stopped as suddenly as they had started. And they were hovering above a distant Earth, millions of lights twinkling in the blue planet. 

“Well, then,” Thor breathed a sigh of contentment, glancing at Loki, giving him a knowing nod. “Let’s go home.”

And so they did go home. Brunhilde accepted Loki with a laugh and a handshake, as Korg hugged him and Thor gleefully. 

The Odinsons passed through the people, as they parted for their once and future kings. They smiled and greeted Loki, reaching out to touch him with accepting arms. Loki saw out of the corner of his eye, Thor watching the Asgardians accepting Loki as one of theirs. 

And finally, they reached their home at the top of the hill. 

“We’ve cleaned it up for you,” Brunhilde said. “More like made Korg and Meek do it." 

The house was small, yet comfortable, furnished with cozy chairs and a fireplace, with plenty of room to play whatever Fortnite was.

Loki stood at the back porch, watching the wind sway through the tall grass on the meadow beyond. 

"It’s not much,” Thor said, suddenly beside him, “but it’s home.”

Loki nodded. 

“You can see the sun rise from here. It’s why I built this place here. Thought it would be a way I could still be with you. Or at least your promise.”

Loki looked over at his brother. He wanted to say so many things, things that would talk eons to utter. But he realized, as Thor gave him a small smile, clasping him on the back, that he already knew. 

Loki gave a small sigh of resignation. He had kept his promise after all. And he was finally, wondrously home. 


End file.
